Elevated wig

ABSTRACT

A WIG INCLUDING A FOUNDATION ELEMENT OF RELATIVELY INEXTENSIBLE MATERIAL AND HAVING INNER AND OUTER SURFACES. HAIR IS ATTACHED TO THE OUTER SURFACE TO COVER SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE FOUNDATION ELEMENT. A LIMINE ELEMENT COMPOSED OF THE RELATIVELY RESILIENTLY EXPANDABLE TEXTILE MATERIAL OF SIZE AND SHAPE GENERALLY CORRESPONDING TO THAT OF THE FOUNDATION ELEMENT IS INTERCONNECTED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF THE FOUNDATION ELEMENT OVER A SUBSTANTIAL AREA THEREOF, LEAVING A GENERALLY CENTRALLY DISPOSED AREA WHICH IS FREE OF INTERCONNECTION, SUCH THAT WHEN THE LINING ELEMENT IS IN RELATIVELY UNSTRESSED CONDITION, THE PORTION OF THE FOUNDATION ELEMENT WHICH IS FREE OF INTERCONNECTION   THEREWITH WILL BE OF AN AREA SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE CORRESPONDING PORTION OF THE LIMING ELEMENT. WHEN THE WIG IS WORN, THE LIMING ELEMENT IS PLACED IN CONTACT WITH THE HEAD OF THE WEARER, THE UNCONNECTED CORRESPONDING AREA OF THE FOUNDATION ELEMENT BEING THEREBY BOWED UPWARDLY TO GIVE AN IMPRESSION OF GREATER HEIGHT TO THE WEARER.

R. KLUGMANN Feb.16,1971

United States Patent Int. Cl. A41g 3/00 US. Cl. 132-53 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wig including a foundation element of relatively inextensible material and having inner and outer surfaces. Hair is attached to the outer surface to cover substantially the entire foundation element. A lining element composed of the relatively resiliently expandable textile material of size and shape generally corresponding to that of the foundation element is interconnected to the inner surface of the foundation element over a substantial area thereof, leaving a generally centrally disposed area which is free of interconnection, such that when the lining element is in relatively unstressed condition, the portion of the foundation element which is free of interconnection therewith will be of an area substantially greater than the corresponding portion of the lining element. When the wig is worn, the lining element is placed in contact with the head of the wearer, the unconnected corresponding area of the foundation element being thereby bowed upwardly to give an impression of greater height to the wearer.

This invention relates generally to the field of wigs, and more particularly to an improved form thereof adapted to give the impression of greater height to the wearer.

Elevated wigs are known in the art, and normal-1y employ a support which attaches directly to the hair of the wearer, usually by resort to a comb, and the wig, being placed thereon stands upwardly from the head of the wearer a desired distance. Devices of this type are generally employed for forming an enlarged hairdo, and very often the top of the wig will stand 5 or 6 inches above the head of the wearer for this purpose.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved wig construction presenting the appearance of a conventional hair arrangement, while adding an apparent inch or more to the height of the wearer, that is to say an amount which is optically believable and not grotesque.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved elevated wig construction which may be fabricated at a cost directly comparable to that of existing wig constructions.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved elevated wig construction which may be conveniently donned and dolfed without difficulty and which may afford a natural appearance.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the same may be embodied in wigs having a variety of hair styles with relatively little modification.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation, partly in section, showing the embodiment in position upon a wearer.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally 3,564,583 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 indicated by reference character 10, includes a foundation element 11 of relatively inextensive textile material mounting a quantity of hair 12, which substantially covers the outer surface thereof. The element 11 is bounded by a peripheral edge 13 which forms earpieces 14 of well known type. Interconnected to the inner surface of the element 11 is a forward elastic member 15, and a rearward elastic member 16, both of which are resiliently extensible along an axis generally parallel to the peripheral edge 13. The relatively inextensible textile centrally disposed portion 17 is of well known construction, and need not be further considered herein.

Secured to the inner surface of the foundation 11 is a lining element 20, best seen in FIG. 1, which, for convenience in manufacture, is preferably formed in three sections 21, 22 and 23 which are stitched together at first and second lines of stitching 24 and 25, respectively. The lining element is of relatively stretchable textile netting, capable of olfering a resilient line of force in two mutually perpendicular direct-ions. As seen in FIG. 1, it is substantially of the same size and configuration as the foundation element, and is interconnected thereto at the peripheral edge 13, as well as at an arcuate line of stitching 26. The line 26 delineates a larger area 27 interconnected over substantially the entire area thereof by stitch means 28, and a relatively smaller area 29 which is free of interconnection with the corresponding area of the foundation element. By sewing the lining to the foundation element while under tension, when the tension is released, the area 29 will be of a smaller amount in the corresponding area 30 (see FIG. 2), the contractile action of the area 29 serving to bow the area 29.

As seen in FIG. 2, when the device is worn upon the head of the wearer 31, a void 32 will be formed between the lining element and the foundation element. Depending upon the size of the areas which are free of interconnection, as compared with the total area of the wig, this can be approximately an inch to as much as two inches in height, and, where a conventional hairstyling is employed with the wig, the viewer will be unaware of the illusion created.

Where desired, and depending upon the texture of the inner surface of the foundation element 11, the lining element may be abbreviated to include only the area 29 interconnected at the peripheral edges thereof to the foundation element owing to the presence of the forward and rearward elastic members 15 and 16, a smooth fit is made at the peripheral edges 13 of the foundation element 11, and the void existing between the foundation element and the head of the wearer is completely enclosed.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. A wig comprising: a foundation unit of relatively inextensible textile material and having an inner surface, an outer surface, and a peripheral edge; hair attached to said outer surface of said foundation element to cover substantially the entire area thereof; a lining element disposed within said foundation element, said lining element being of planar resilient material and being interconnected inwardly of said peripheral edge and over an area less than the total area of said foundation element to the inner surface of said foundation element; there being an unconnected portion of said lining element lying within a surrounding connecting area overlying an unconnected portion of said foundation element, which in relatively unstressed condition, has an effective area substantially less than that of the corresponding unconnected portion of said foundation element; whereby when said wig is worn upon the head of a wearer with the lining element in contact therewith, said unconnected area of said foundation element will be bowed upwardly to form a void with the upper surface of said lining element, and afford the visual impression of greater height to said wearer.

2. Structure in accordance with claim 1, in Which the lining element is of configuration generally corresponding to that of the foundation element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,661,749 12/1953 Corsillo 132-54 3,077,891 2/1963 Lane 132-53X 5 3,342,189 9/1967 Houston 13253 3,485,249 12/1969 Mast 13253 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner 10 I. N. ESKOVITZ, Assistant Examiner 

